Extra! Extra! Paid Content Pays Off for Providers

Good news for battered Barnes & Noble, New York Times Co. and Sirius XM may indicate a brighter future for digital content. Good news about Comcast, too.

By

Alexander Eule

May 5, 2012

Is the tide finally turning for paid digital content?

Microsoft (ticker: MSFT) kicked off the good news Monday with its $300 million infusion in Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reader business. Barnes & Noble (BKS) shares soared as much as 90%, before finishing the week up 30%, to $17.91. Shares of the brick-and-mortar bookseller have jumped 50% in the last year, all due to the company's digital efforts.